Parsippany/Troy Hills P25 TRS

[mondaro]

i don’t think I got my point across correctly. Some agencies do not want certain disciplines to hear each other unless directed to a common operations channel. It has nothing to do with priority but more to do with keeping people focused on what they should be listening to. No need for EMS that serves one area to hear PD calls from a different area. Same goes with road department not needing to hear EMS traffic, etc. Make sense now?

If Parsippany bought multiband radios then they will probably want County stuff programmed in for interoperability along with repeated and simplex ITAC and/or UTAC channels.

I will say this as a career EMS Chief I like to maintain good situational awareness so I want to hear law enforcement, fire, ems, and DPW agencies, this is the first place to find out about road closures and other local emergencies, I have my strong opinion about the big E, and won't make the radio dealers happy, I am currently fighting the good fight in my communication committee where I work.

 

[GTR8000]

i don’t think I got my point across correctly. Some agencies do not want certain disciplines to hear each other unless directed to a common operations channel. It has nothing to do with priority but more to do with keeping people focused on what they should be listening to. No need for EMS that serves one area to hear PD calls from a different area. Same goes with road department not needing to hear EMS traffic, etc. Make sense now?

If Parsippany bought multiband radios then they will probably want County stuff programmed in for interoperability along with repeated and simplex ITAC and/or UTAC channels.

Yeah, I get your point, but in some cases it's a bit draconian. There are some counties/agencies that refuse to allow FD/EMS to scan any PD talkgroups with their subscriber radios, even though they're in the clear. Seems a bit silly to disallow a chief officer from scanning his local PD TG. In any event, those guys will simply buy a scanner to fill the need, so in the end the strict policies are only costing taxpayers a bit more money.

Not to pick nits, but it's 8CALL/8TAC now...the ICALL/ITAC designators went away years ago with rebanding.

 

[K2NEC]

I will say this as a career EMS Chief I like to maintain good situational awareness so I want to hear law enforcement, fire, ems, and DPW agencies, this is the first place to find out about road closures and other local emergencies,

It's one thing to be a chief or some form of brass and another to be the normal EMT. Most EMT's, officers, firefighters don't need to know what's going on with another agency and if they do then they should rely on their dispatch to relay that information. After all that is what they are there for isn't it?

 

[leonzo]

Mr. Mondaro thank you for your service. As a 40 year law enforcement guy I want to add on to this thread. When I was a patrol officer and I started in Morris County, NJ, I routinely monitored via a scanner other law enforcement agencies including NJSP, fire and ems while working my shift in my cruiser. The why quite simply was for situational awareness. It was helpful to me as a basic patrol officer and as I got promoted that monitoring became invaluable. Scanning isn't for everyone. Most patrol officers I have worked with have zero interest in hearing any radio traffic not directly related to their area, district or single dispatcher. However, just like there are different skills and abilities for every person and job, I will repeat that monitoring for me was extremely helpful. Also Mr. Mondaro I don't know your opinion on the topic of E but my opinion is useful when necessary, 100 percent not necessary on patrol dispatch.

 

[richee2000]

on the topic of E but my opinion is useful when necessary, 100 percent not necessary on patrol dispatch.

IF ONLY......

 

[APX8000]

It's one thing to be a chief or some form of brass and another to be the normal EMT. Most EMT's, officers, firefighters don't need to know what's going on with another agency and if they do then they should rely on their dispatch to relay that information. After all that is what they are there for isn't it?

Have you ever played the telephone game when you were a kid ? Many agencies use different dispatch centers for PD and Fire/EMS resulting in the relay of information which can cause miscommunication and delays. Do you know how many times I monitored something on another channel and was just able to key up and say “copy PD direct” instead of having to waste the dispatchers time. Or the information I heard first hand was different than was was later told to me.

Even better...I worked dispatching Police, Fire and EMS for many years as a single dispatcher also answering 7-digit and the 911 PSAP. Receiving multiple calls for let’s say an MVA requiring all three disciplines response, all on different channels, multiple calls coming in, phones and 911 ringing off the hook, every EMS member or Fire Officer or PD unit on the radio. I would multiselect all three channels at times just to say the information once. Other agencies would do a solid and always get on and say “copy XYZ direct” to save the time of me having to repeat it while multitasking because they were monitoring the other channels.

I’ve invited decision makers to sit in that chair as I climbed the way up that ladder of my career knowing where I started and what it takes to get the job done easier. Most (not all) of those above you and I don’t have a clue...trust me....and when I hear how subscribers are programmed without other agencies allowed, or encryption on dispatch, etc. it really irks the crap out of me.

 

[RadioDitch]

I’ve invited decision makers to sit in that chair as I climbed the way up that ladder of my career knowing where I started and what it takes to get the job done easier. Most (not all) of those above you and I don’t have a clue...trust me....and when I hear how subscribers are programmed without other agencies allowed, or encryption on dispatch, etc. it really irks the crap out of me.

I can't relate to any of you on a professional or experience level. But let me say this from the volly side.

I've been a volunteer EMT in New Jersey since I was 16, and a volunteer EMR in Newfoundland & Labrador since 2010. I've ridden in suburbia and 1,000mi from bum-freaking-nowhere. Back up north in Labrador West, everyone is on one frequency. Provincial constables, local police, regional fire agencies, EHS (EMS in American terms), Air Ambulance, and SAR. One dispatcher, one call-taker. For an area that covers nearly 25,000sq mi, and granted only has a population of about 8,000 for the whole area. It is the most efficient and well coordinated operations I've ever seen or heard.

I've also been on suburban squads in Jersey that operated on a single frequency with PD and FD or which had direct access to their frequencies. Including to surrounding towns. And never once did we end up going into anything blind, and we had some nasty calls from time to time that sounded more like Newark than a 5sqmi small town of 19,000. I remember a mutual-aid run, third-due to a shooting in a neighboring municipality, where our dispatcher just said it was a trauma, but when we flipped to that town's PD we found out they were still shooting.

So from the modest volly perspective, I agree with @APX8000.

I apologize if I'm speaking out of turn. But figured the lowest view on the totem pole might be worthwhile.

 

[K2NEC]

Have you ever played the telephone game when you were a kid ? Many agencies use different dispatch centers for PD and Fire/EMS resulting in the relay of information which can cause miscommunication and delays. Do you know how many times I monitored something on another channel and was just able to key up and say “copy PD direct” instead of having to waste the dispatchers time. Or the information I heard first hand was different than was was later told to me.

Even better...I worked dispatching Police, Fire and EMS for many years as a single dispatcher also answering 7-digit and the 911 PSAP. Receiving multiple calls for let’s say an MVA requiring all three disciplines response, all on different channels, multiple calls coming in, phones and 911 ringing off the hook, every EMS member or Fire Officer or PD unit on the radio. I would multiselect all three channels at times just to say the information once. Other agencies would do a solid and always get on and say “copy XYZ direct” to save the time of me having to repeat it while multitasking because they were monitoring the other channels.

I’ve invited decision makers to sit in that chair as I climbed the way up that ladder of my career knowing where I started and what it takes to get the job done easier. Most (not all) of those above you and I don’t have a clue...trust me....and when I hear how subscribers are programmed without other agencies allowed, or encryption on dispatch, etc. it really irks the crap out of me.

I completely agree. And I see both sides of it. On the one hand, in a busy dispatch center its convenient to have units hear the traffic however on the other hand if you have a department with 100 units on, it's going to get very hectic and crazy when you have PD calling for a rig, then the rig trying to ask PD what the address is, and dispatch trying to help the officer on the traffic stop running a plate, and them also trying to get FD out for a fire alarm. The network admins allocate TGs for a reason and there really is no need on a LARGE system for everyone to be on 1 or 2 TGs. It's not like you have a 3 square mile town with 4 PD units on at the same time and maybe 1 or 2 medical calls in a day.
Like I said, I see both sides of it and I know where you are coming from.

 

[richee2000]

I have been all over the country, so many have great communication systems where all County departments are on one system and have total interoperability. New Jersey is in the dark ages where everyone wants their own little kingdom, no one is willing to share, and everything is a secret... Nothing but a total power play which is a disservice to law enforcement officers and the public in general. I have monitored so many situations where State Police, County Police, and various municipal jurisdictions respond to a priority incident where officers lives are in danger and no one can communicate with each other...

 

[ansky]

I had a few extra minutes while in Parsippany this afternoon so I took a look at the site 4 tower. I saw 3 antennas installed at the very top of the tower and 2 antennas in a second bay just below that. Not sure if those are related to the new TRS or being used for something else.

 

[RadioDitch]

I had a few extra minutes while in Parsippany this afternoon so I took a look at the site 4 tower. I saw 3 antennas installed at the very top of the tower and 2 antennas in a second bay just below that. Not sure if those are related to the new TRS or being used for something else.

I forget the arrangement, but the antennas are on the monopole for Site 4. As far as I've heard, all the equipment for the site has been installed. It just hasn't been put on air yet at last check.

 

[RadioDitch]

System Update:

System:	WACN	SID	Site	Alias	Control	GPS Address	Status	Date Checked
Parsippany-Troy Hills	BEE00	A7B	1-1.1	Powder Mill Tank	771.16875	510 Mountain Way, Parsippany, NJ	Unknown	14-Oct-20
			1-1.2	Police Headquarters	771.16875	3339 US-46, Parsippany, NJ	On-Air	04-Oct-20
			1-1.3	Pomeroy Tank	771.16875	459 Pomeroy Road, Parsippany, NJ	On-Air	04-Oct-20
			1-1.4	Heavy Rescue	771.16875	4 Volunteers Court, Parsippany, NJ	On-Air	14-Oct-20

 

[ansky]

System Update:

System:	WACN	SID	Site	Alias	Control	GPS Address	Status	Date Checked
Parsippany-Troy Hills	BEE00	A7B	1-1.1	Powder Mill Tank	771.16875	510 Mountain Way, Parsippany, NJ	Unknown	14-Oct-20
			1-1.2	Police Headquarters	771.16875	3339 US-46, Parsippany, NJ	On-Air	04-Oct-20
			1-1.3	Pomeroy Tank	771.16875	459 Pomeroy Road, Parsippany, NJ	On-Air	04-Oct-20
			1-1.4	Heavy Rescue	771.16875	4 Volunteers Court, Parsippany, NJ	On-Air	14-Oct-20

I was really hoping Site 4 would put some coverage into my area of West Orange, but no luck. I'm not even getting a hint of that control channel.

 

[RadioDitch]

I was really hoping Site 4 would put some coverage into my area of West Orange, but no luck. I'm not even getting a hint of that control channel.

Were you portable, mobile or fixed when you checked? Also deferring to the experts, based on what APX8000 said about his experiences, when Powder Mill is commissioned then you should see signs of life.

 

[ansky]

Were you portable, mobile or fixed when you checked? Also deferring to the experts, based on what APX8000 said about his experiences, when Powder Mill is commissioned then you should see signs of life.

At my home...SDS200 with an indoor antenna. I'm on the eastern slope of West Orange facing east towards NYC. There is about 200' of terrain to my west which usually makes it difficult to pull in signals from that direction (although I do get a usable signal from the Morris County TRS with an indoor antenna).

 

[APX8000]

I still think you should be ok once Powder Mill comes alive from your location. Morris has a site over on Riker Hill in Livingston, a bit closer to you. I can hit a site on Gates Court which is just down from the tank on a portable from your area.

 

[ansky]

I still think you should be ok once Powder Mill comes alive from your location. Morris has a site over on Riker Hill in Livingston, a bit closer to you. I can hit a site on Gates Court which is just down from the tank on a portable from your area.

Where does the current 851.375 PD channel transmit from? I can hear that loud and clear from my house. Is that from Powder Mill?

 

[RadioDitch]

Where does the current 851.375 PD channel transmit from? I can hear that loud and clear from my house. Is that from Powder Mill?

Yes. There's also a stand-by repeater licensed at the Powder Mill Heights Apartments on Gates Court. Someone with greater knowledge might be able to testify as to whether the stand-by still exists or not.

 

[08GMC4X4]

I was told they are going to be testing the new 700 system today.

 

[ansky]

I was told they are going to be testing the new 700 system today.

Did they turn on the Powder Mill site yet? It doesn't seem that testing would be very effective if all sites are not up and running.